Genesis (A Doom 2016 Story)
by SirhanSirhan
Summary: "...You committed treachery against your own, and it destroyed your entire world. For this sin, you are hereby forever barred from Ascending, so saith the Lord. However, you may still be of use. The Demons.. they are rage. Brutal. Without mercy. But you... you will be worse. Rip and tear... until it is done." (Highly recommend reading the preface.)
1. Preface

_**Hey everyone! This is pretty much my first fanfic ever written (But not my first story, mind you. That honor is held by a tome whose place is on Wattpad). It ain't gonna be perfect or whatever, because since when is there ever a perfect story? I'll try my best to make this experience as good as possible for you all, and I am open to constructive criticism and suggestions from you guys on how to better my writing! Hope you guys enjoy my story! -Sirhan**_

* * *

Existence.

Perhaps no place better describes this word than the Universe. Our Universe, that is. But why am I talking about the Universe if you came here to read a Doom fanfiction? It's not like I'm Stephen Hawking and I'm about the prove the regularity of nebula-sized singularities or mega-quasars. However, it _is_ necessary because it sets up a good intro bit for the story, so you can better get a grasp of things. Also, it allows me to get a nerd boner. Mm..

Sorry. **ANYWAYS** , I do believe I shall explain all this shit that you really wanna know in the before times, if you haven't already played the new Doom. And if you haven't, you are a pleb who is living under a rock and you need to buy the game. If you already have played it but are confused by the story, well, here's a little creative food for thought. If I'm correct, HOORAY. If not, at least I got to become a bossatronic storyteller. So here we go.

 **AHEM. *Much cough. So annoyance***

The Universe was born in an event known as the Great Rupture, when out of a single great singularity, all matter exploded forth into the Void, quickly forming stars, galaxies, nebuli, planets, and the like. One such planet, early in the life of this dimension, was called Argent D'nur, and was inhabited by a sentient race of alien beings, called Argents. They were human-like in appearance, the only difference being their organic and bone structure. They had denser bones and more taut, toned muscles. In another reality, they would be the genetic basis for the Martian race, and in turn, the human race. But for this reality, they are kept separate. In the following millennia, the Argents grew and grew like all great societies, building an empire all across their world, making ungodly technological advancements, with a cornerstone being the advent of unlimited energy usage found in the form of raw plasma found on the planet. This substance, after painstaking research, was one of the main products of the Rupture, and is what formed the nebuli and the stars and the... you get it.

There were two respected careers among the Argents: the scientists and mathematicians, and the military, which was called the Crusaders. Unlike our world, A.D. did not have any known combustible material, like our gunpowder, so they did not develop projectiles. However, they did know how to make ultra strong armor and swords from refined plasma. Cause hey, who wouldn't want an energy sword?

They also had a religious sect found to be **INCREDIBLY** important. A race of beings presided over the Argents, bestial in appearance and behavior. They could warp and concentrate raw plasma to their will, allowing them to be Argent Priests of sorts. They were called the Elemental Wraiths, and actually caused terror wherever they went. Soon, an elite unit was founded to both protect and control these powerful beings. This unit was dubbed the Night Sentinels.

Some time ago, the Argents discovered the means to leap between realities, between dimensions, and happened upon a barren, scorched landscape inhabited by monstrous creatures. This place was known as Hell, and the creatures who lived there called themselves Demons. You can guess the behavior of the demons well enough to know that they were about to kill anything and anyone that they saw, so when they saw these new beings, they thought, "OOO, FOOD." And thus, the First War began between Argent D'nur and Hell.

This account details events that would lead to the downfall of the world... and a man who would forever seek vengeance.

So, without further ado, enjoy the story.

Bitch.


	2. Routine Schedule

"Judas! What are you doing?"

And like that, the Sentinel was snapped from his thoughts, having been staring out into the distance for a good long while.

"Er.. nothing, Peter. Nothing at all. Just... thinking."

"Yes, well, if you're done thinking, then come on. We're scouting so we can defend people, not so we can spend our time daydreaming."

Peter. Leader of the Night Sentinels, the elite military guard of the Crusaders, the military of the planet of Argent D'nur. He is a man of tall stature, and while a little on the shrewd side, his leadership skills are impeccable, and ensures that all of his chief Sentinels remain alive and well. Currently, he spoke to one of his Commanders, Judas.

Judas was not one of the highest ranking officers of the Sentinels, but he was without a doubt one of their finest and most trustworthy warriors. Any riot that appeared on Argent D'nur, any terrorist threat, was quelled swiftly by mainly Judas. He was an unsung hero to the masses, despite the rest getting the golden treatment by the world officials. He didn't mind. As long as people were safe, he was alright.

Judas walked away from the cliff overlooking the Ytrian Lowlands in the distance, where the sun set, painting the sky a glorious shade of blazing orange... with a massive Hellportal brewing ominously on the horizon. His armor, and the armor of the other Sentinels, was painted a pearly shade of white, with large pieces of armor covering the vital portions of the body. Not only this, but in their technical prowess, they discovered the means to display vitals to whoever was interfaced with the suit, powered by plasma. This energy appeared as blue lights along the eye slits and in routers along the shoulders.

But the most interesting feature of this Sentinel was the item strapped to his left thigh. It looked as it it were a sword hilt with no blade, adorned with etchings of skulls and the like. And that was the point; it was made to look intimidating. The blade, made of plasma energy, extended in it's energetic form upon the command of the user. It could go to around four feet in length, with the tip of the blade arching out into a crescent shape, like the head of an ax that faced upwards instead of to the side. This sword, so named by Judas, was known as Crucible.

His footsteps echoed along the ground as he neared an encampment, where the local Crusader battalion was posted, along with the Sentinels. Two men stood outside the mess tent, talking fervently. These were the brothers, John and James. John was a cool, laid back saint that was soft-spoken and reserved, while James was the opposite. James was a loud, boisterous little troublemaker that often butted heads with Peter, ever being the rebellious young man. James was currently giving a sermon about how he absolutely destroyed a harlot he met the other night, to which John shook his head in disapproval, when Judas approached.

"..and so I looked her in the eyes and said, 'Madame, you are quite beautiful, but I am a man who would rather die than live in the bonds of slavery. That's why I don't want to be your lover.", he said, cackling loudly afterwards.

"I'm surprised you have not contracted some potent disease, seeing as how you're with a different dame every hour.", said Judas, who appeared behind the thick headed James. The hulk whirled around, facing the smirking expression of Judas.

"Large mouth for a small man. If you weren't hiding behind Peter and sapping his protection, I would tear your face off."

"Good. It would be an ideal replacement for whatever you currently wear." John stifled a laugh at this joke. James simply laughed heartily and bro-hugged his fellow warrior.

"Good to see you still retain your sense of humor, Judas. It's a sight to see among the boredom of staying in this place.", he said while he snorted and spat onto the dry earth, John sighing at this display of nastiness.

"Well, brother, if you feel bored, then why not simply walk around a little or strike up a conversation? There's more to life than drink and women..", said John, with James uttering a groan of annoyance at his brother.

"John, if I were not your brother, I would bring you into Hell myself and throw you into a pit of Hell Knights just to watch them tear you apart." John raised a significant eyebrow at this remark.

"Hell Knights. Could you not think of anything better than those annoying things?", John asked as he crossed his arms. Judas merely watched the two go back and forth for a while before he heard the chatter of a voice that scolded him not too long ago.

"Shit! At ease!", called Judas to the two. They quickly stopped their bickering and went to the position: feet spread apart and hands in front of the body, one over the other. As soon as the trio got that way, they looked on as Peter strode up, looking at them.

"As you were." The Sentinels went to regular stances. "I got done chatting with one of the Wraiths. Gyrion, inform them of our next mission."

Suddenly, a voice spoke to each of the Sentinels, appearing as a fluctuating hertz meter in each of their HUDs. It's voice was a calm, soft, unaccented voice that delivered each word, each syllable, to boot, with distinct clarity. This was the artificial informant for the team, keeping them up to date with mission specs. Its name was Gyrion.

"Hello, Sentinels. One of the Wraiths is currently low on energy in its chest generator. I'm afraid if it loses power, a section of the defensive wall around the city of Argent will fail. If it is not repaired, it leaves a vector for Demons to spill in."

Argent. One of the cities closest to the Hellportal, opened by alchemists in their inter-dimensional travel experiments. Why didn't they shut it, you ask? It's easy to open a portal, but to close one up, especially with a steady, monstrous traffic flowing through, it's harder than you think. To prevent the sacking of border cities, the Sentinels used the Wraiths, elemental demigods of bestial appearance, to construct walls of energy, since they can bend Argent to their will with organic generators in their chests. However, their abilities are finite if there is no energy to recharge the generators.

"Yeah, yeah, Gyrion, nothing we haven't done before. Just another routine maintenance op.", James said, rotating his arms to loosen them. Peter shook his head.

"You three have five minutes to meet me on the outskirts of Argent. Bartholomew will be waiting for us with the Wraith." With that, Peter turned about and strode down the road to where the Wraith was being held. The trio looked at one another, shrugged, and marched off in pursuit of Peter.

* * *

In six minutes, the trio met Peter on the outskirts of Argent, with Peter not looking too happy behind his helmet.

"Five minutes.. you're one over. Being elite means having attention to detail, so how can you be elite if you don't even get to your location on time? Time perfection can mean the difference between success and disaster, so next time, **don't be late**. Mindless ingrates...", grumbled Peter at the three, who stood silent in front of their leader. Peter was an exceptional role model, but he did have a tendency to be extremely precise, and if there is something not matching his precision standards, he gets upset.

The three nodded with their 'yes sirs' and stood silent as Bartholomew came into view. Bartholomew - or Bart, as his companions called him - was a rather tame individual, even by Crusader standards. He preferred not to get into fights and was quite soft-spoken. In essence, the shy, quiet kid among the boisterous brothers-in-arms.

"Sir, the Wraith is ready to move.", Bart said to Peter, with the latter nodding to the former. Bart turned and walked to a cage holding a grotesque monster. It had ten legs, two pair underneath, two pair sprouting from the sides and one pair growing from the shoulders. The legs were tipped with claws, mainly for attack since they could get around by levitation. From their heads protruded a pair of horns; from their mouths, teeth, but no lips; and where their eyes would be, there were none. It was quiet as Bart unlatched the door and ushered it out. It was larger than the Sentinels by a margin, but it knew that it could not best these lower creatures. It knew their purpose was to protect it, as well as control its destructive nature.

"Alright, gents. Let's move.", ordered Peter, with everyone else following behind him in formation. The wall was in front of them, a hundred feet high and brimming red with energy. Nothing could get in or out. Only way anything could is if a portion went down.

The Wraith parted away a section, allowing a hole to be made, where the party passed through. They were now outside of the wall and stood on a desolate plain, where dust kicked up and wind sped along with a ghostly cry. Now outside, the Wraith hissed and scanned, slowly turning its head to find sources of energy with which to consume. It chirped as it found one, hovering towards its destination. The troop walked beside it, eyes open for any contacts.

In fifteen minutes, they got a good distance away from the city when the beast found what it was looking for. In a wide crack in the earth was a pool of red, crackling plasma. The Wraith chirped happily as its chest opened up, revealing a dull red orb that hovered out and over the crack. Suddenly, it began to absorb the plasma.

Judas watched as it did its duty, crossing his arms and tapping his boot on the ground. Suddenly though, he felt a _whoosh!_ behind his head and something hard and hot hit his helmet. He growled, turning around as he saw an ugly little scamp of a creature. It was colored orange, crouched low with its clawed hands in attack position. Its head bore two glowing yellow eyes and a mouth full of needle-like teeth. This was an Imp, the main force of Hell's Army. And it was currently cackling at Judas.

"So _you_ threw that. Okay. So you don't want to live anymore. I can arrange that.", he said, taking Crucible from his hip and letting the energy blade expand. His companions saw this creature and drew their weapons as more Imps appeared from nowhere, spawning from Hell rifts. Soon, there were a hundred of these hellions surrounding the Sentinels. But they merely chuckled.

"I got dibs.", said Judas as he walked forward, taking a swing with Crucible. In one sweep, five of the creatures were cut in half, their remains turning to ash and going back to their home. John and James each held a staff, but they had different tips. John's was a massive battleaxe, while James had an intimidating and destructive war hammer. Bart had a double tipped spear, and could turn demons into paste if he started to spin it. However, he held back and defended the Wraith. Peter, with his position in the Sentinels, bore the traditional weapons. They were dual pistols that fired explosive energy balls. And they were infinite.

Remember when I said they had no gunpowder? I didn't say they couldn't make _other_ projectile weapons.

Judas was plowing through the Imps, but their fireballs and claws could hurt if one was not careful enough, so John and James got in to do a little slash and smash of their own! John cleaved Imps in twain while James squashed them like insects. Some Imps got together and tried to dogpile on top of James, but he simply broke them off and sent them flying, laughing as he did. Peter watched the spectacle as if he were a teacher, silently grading his students on combat aptitude.

But his grading was cut short as he looked to his right, seeing a large brute of a monster appear from a rift. It was ten feet tall, grey skinned and hulking, with an exposed cranium and no eyes. Strangely though, its teeth were relatively blunt. Its digitigrade legs seemed to foretell its amazing leaping ability, and it had large claws on the ends of its fingers, but these paled when compared to the smashing power behind its biceps.

This was a Hell Knight.

Peter smirked as it roared and charged him, with Peter doing the same. The Sentinel, being shorter, was quicker than his adversary as he dodged a ground punch by the brute, sliding between its legs and appearing behind it. He then kicked it in the rear of the knee, bringing it down, proceeding to climb atop it. Wasting no time, Peter readied his right fist... and forcefully bored a hole straight into the skull of the beast, leaving a bloody crater inside. Peter hopped off, the blood disappearing from his fist.

This was not the end, however. Two more of the brutes appeared, beating their chests and roaring their challenges to the leader of the Sentinels. He simply smirked and turned to face them, ready to end their miserable existences. They both stormed on Peter, both leaping and preparing to smash the position he stood in. Seeing them leap into the sky, Peter quickly rolled forward, dodging their ground smash. Once they were finished, they both turned, seeing Peter sprinting up to them. In no time, he quickly gave a right hook to the one on the left while using the momentum to deliver a left roundhouse kick to the right beast. Stunning the both of them, Peter turned and Spartan kicked the one of the left where its groin would supposedly be. Even if it had no genitalia, it still reacted in that manner, for reasons unknown. Peter saw the other coming at him, preparing to drive a hammerfist into his position. Peter stepped to the side, allowing the Hell Knight to smash down right on its comrade's head. The head exploded into gore, with the body falling limply onto the earth. With one remaining, Peter waited for it to turn around. As soon as it moved, he sprinted to it, and when it finally turned 180, Peter delivered a massive uppercut to the beast, sending it onto its back. Not wasting any time, he moved over to its head, raised his boot, and brought it down as hard as he could, effectively curb-stomping the beast into death. With the creatures now disposed of, Peter righted himself and smiled.

'Didn't even have to fire a shot.', he thought to himself as the others came back from their scuffle.

"Well that was fun. And just in time, too. The Wraith is finished.", James commented, seeing the now brightly glowing orb return to the chest of the creature, seemingly satisfied. However, five Hell Knights now appeared, all growling and stamping their feet, as if to say that their job was not about to be complete. But before they could do anything, they were suddenly lifted up into the air and held still, limbs spread out. The Wraith seemed to grin devilishly as it was apparently 'looking' in their direction. Suddenly, their legs were slowly pulled from their bodies, followed by their arms, and finally, their heads. Their pieces were then thrown to the wind, with the Wraith turning towards Argent and hovering in that direction.

The Sentinels knew the Wraiths were not shy to violence, and as proven here, their thirst for it was methodical, even sadistic, which is why the Sentinels had to control these beasts and ensure the populace did every prayer and sacrificial ritual properly, lest the Wraiths bring their wrath down upon the people.

The Sentinels sheathed their weapons and marched off after the creature, their job done.

"Easy. Same as the other thousand times we did it.", said Judas in a bored tone, rotating his shoulders.

"I know I should look at every variable and such, but I really can say that it's literally impossible for Argent to fall to the Demons. I simply hope our alchemists can find a way to shut down that portal.", said John, looking back at the swirling vortex of fire.

"Brother, that portal will close, don't worry. It's not as if one of us is going to make a deal with a Hell Priest or anything and cause total collapse.", said James, punching his brother in the shoulder.

* * *

 _Beyond the eyes of the Sentinels, beyond the eyes of every citizen of Argent, a voice cackled evilly at what James said._

 _"Soon...", it whispered._


	3. After Hours

The encampment inside Argent wasn't just armories, rest tents and mess halls. The troops needed entertainment, and one of those came in the form of a drinking hall. A large building made of wood, it was situated parallel to the center mess, the symbol above the entrance being a flagon. After usual hours, soldiers would be seen inside, chatting it up, going over plans or simply celebrating.

After the Wraith op, most of the Sentinels assisted Crusaders with daily grunt work, and some took rest inside of their tent, stripping themselves of their armor and relaxing for the rest of the day. As you can see, not every day was filled with battle and revelry. When the demons decided not to swarm through the portal, the soldiers tried to find time to defeat an age-old enemy: boredom.

Judas was one of the Sentinels who had nothing to do after the op, so he did what he always did when there was nothing to do: hit the hall. He was currently in the tent, standing in his fatigues after taking off his armor and putting Crucible in its respective weapon slot next to his cot. Crucible _did not_ belong in an armory.

Checking to make sure everything was in place, Judas strode from the tent and made a beeline for the hall, a short walk away. He was glad there weren't too many soldiers coming and going; he found it annoying having to counter-salute every person who came his way. Being a Sentinel, he automatically outranked every soldier, even the battalion commanders.

He opened the door to the hall, the muffled sounds of talking and laughing suddenly exploding forth and hitting him square in the face. Upon his entry, the patrons suddenly cheered and raised their glasses to the warrior, to which Judas waved them all off with a phony smile. Not wasting any time, he quickly made his way to a beer barrel, grabbed a free tankard, and filled it to the brim. Next objective: find a lone, quiet area.

And he did just that. Among the rancor of the patrons surrounding the tables inside, there was a quiet spot in the corner of the hall. He went past everyone and quickly took a seat in a chair around a table. He put his feet on the table, despite codes of etiquette, and solemnly began to drink. He drank because it was a good way to pass the time, but he also drank because out of all the things he has seen, the memory of his family was ever present in his mind.

It wasn't long before memories began to flood...

* * *

 _"Ah.. he's beautiful, Morgan.."_

 _A baby. His eyes open, blue as the radiant Southern Ocean. He cooed as they were open, not crying as a usual infant would. He was wrapped in cloth and was held by a woman in a cot, covered by a blanket. She had black hair and the same color eyes as the child. Her skin, however, revealed something dangerous about her. It was ashen and pale, unhealthy, and her face was sullen and not full. She had the appearance of someone who was dying._

 _"Yes, Judas.. he is." A man perched at her bedside, strong and hardy, full of vigor and life. He was muscular and blonde-haired, with penetrating grey eyes. He was smiling in this moment, his hand with the woman's._

 _"Judas.. I want you to name him. There's no sense in me doing it since I'll-"_

 _"Morgan, please, don't- ...don't remind me. I just want to enjoy this moment", the man whispered, the smile wavering now. He was clearly trying his best to keep something contained._

 _"I'm sorry, love. I know I shouldn't worry you. You're right, we should enjoy this while it lasts.", she said, smiling while shedding a few tears. A man dressed in adorned robes appeared suddenly._

 _"Sir, I am sorry, but-" The blonde man turned sharply and glared at the one in robes, to which the latter blinked a few. "She... um..."_

 _The man nodded, but kept the glare present. The one in robes quickly exited, with the man now refusing to face his wife. The one in robes came to tell him that she was soon going to pass and that he should leave. He wasn't. He was going to stay with her._

 _He turned to her._

 _"...Abel. I want his name to be Abel."_

 _"Abel.", she replied. "A lovely name. I love it.", she said, looking at the now sleeping infant. She coughed suddenly, blood trailing from her lips. The man's eyes widened stiffly, staring in mute horror._

 _"Judas, I do not have much time. Please, take him. Take him home and-" She coughed again, harder. "..raise him."_

 _He was reluctant at first, but he soon took the infant in his arms, cradling him gently. He stared at his wife for a long while. Suddenly, he let a sob loose, tears falling from his stormy eyes. She, in return, began to weep, as well._

 _"I love you, Judas." These words were said softly, as if it were a solemn goodbye. Suddenly, she began to convulse and utter out guttural groans of pain. The man hesitated, watching what was happening to his wife, before he suddenly turned and left, the robed ones entering after he turned... armed with knives._

 _He only got a few feet before her groans ceased._

* * *

 _A sunny day. Clear skies. A light breeze._

 _A camp, a tent. Voices inside, light, muffled._

 _A warrior clad in armor rushes into the camp, colored charcoal black with massive pauldrons and bracers, greaves and boots. The breastplate is adorned with the image of mirrored wings, colored in gold. The pieces lie atop a grey fabric meant to protect the wearer from pinching. His helmet is pot shaped, sloping slightly, with the visor made in a Y-shape, glowing bright blue. The pieces jangled as he ran, trying to find the tent in which a man rested._

 _He found it by way of a symbol sitting at the entrance. Without hesitation, he stepped inside, looking around._

 _"Fath-... Sentinel Judas, sir?", he called out, with one of the men inside turning his head to the young lad. He was sitting at a cot, tinkering with an armor piece when he stood up and walked to the lad. They both stepped outside and out of fair view, relatively alone. The lad took his helmet off, revealing a young face. Cropped, sandy hair hung on his head and sky blue eyes stared at the man before him. The man smiled brightly._

 _"Abel.. My boy, look at you! Clean armor, exceptional energy levels in the suit... You look good. Wait, what's this?", he asked, looking to the top of the helmet Abel had at his side._

 _"Oh! This is what I wanted to talk with you about. After going through school, I've, er.. I've been commissioned as an Option!", he said brightly._

 _Judas beamed as he stared at the symbol on his helmet: two rectangular bars standing vertical with a white diamond in the center, the rectangles connected by thin strips, resting on top and on bottom of the diamond. The bars were colored dim yellow._

 _"Congratulations, Abel! Now, be sure to work your hardest when on duty. Hard work and experience pays off with promotions, and I would be ecstatic if I saw you become Master Centurion. Where are you assigned?", Judas asked._

 _"2nd Century, 1st Cohort, 12th Infantry Legion.", Abel responded matter-of-factly._

 _"Ah, the 12th. You're very lucky, my son. The 12th is one of the most prestigious and famed legions in the Crusader units.", Judas said with pride. His son, an Option in a famous unit, and positioned on the front lines, no less!_

 _"I know, Father. I was either hoping this or the 3rd, but I got one of the two, so it's alright! Anyway, I just wanted to come by and tell you about my commission. Oh, and something else... the 12th is currently stationed in Pax. I won't get to operate in the same encampment as you, but at least I'll be close. Near that.", he said, pointing towards the swirling Hellportal on the horizon. His father nodded._

 _"It's alright, son. I'm just glad you were able to follow your dream and achieve it.", he said. Abel smiled and suddenly went forward, drawing his father into an embrace. At first hesitant, Judas accepted and returned it._

 _"I love you, Father."_

 _"I love you, too, son. Now, go. Show strength in the 12th!"_

 _"I will, Father! I won't disappoint you!"_

* * *

"Someone's lonely."

Judas was suddenly snapped from his thoughts, seeing a woman standing in front of him. A fellow Sentinel, Mary. She was the shortest of the Sentinels, and also the only female, but what she lacked in size and strength, she made up for agility and tact. Her hair was red-orange and her eyes... her eyes were blissfully green, beautifully so. She had an athletic body frame and... ***ahem*** "ample" assets. After gazing at this pest for a second, Judas looked down into his tankard. Empty.

"Tell me, Jude, do you enjoy drinking alone or do people bother you?", she said in a sly tone.

"The only one bothering me right now is you. Go away.", he grumbled. He said this with affection, believe it or not.

"Aw, come now. I can't be _that_ much of an annoyance. I just saw you sitting by yourself and looking sad, so I decided to come over and see if I could make you smile." Judas made a deadpan expression towards her. She frowned.

"Looks like that isn't happening.", she said in response to the expression

"Well, Mary, what did you expect? Sunshine and rainbows coming forth from my every orifice?", he said. She smirked and whirled around, sliding up into a chair.

"Okay, so you're not gonna listen. Got it. Great.", he said in mock despair.

"Of course I'm not gonna listen. I'm too stubborn." Silence.

"...Sooo, how is my favorite Sentinel doing?", she chirped.

"Like Hell I'm your favorite. Every single one of us knows your loins moisten whenever Peter walks by.", he said, wishing he could get up to refill the tankard. Mary's eyes went wide and her face flustered. She then coughed.

"While I admit he's... attractive, he's not my type. Too bossy, too stern. I'd much rather prefer someone quiet.", she commented, her eyes glistening now in his direction. His brow raised in response.

"Seriously? You're trying to elicit a reaction from me by playing the seduction route? Do you forget how many times that little game has never worked in your favor?", he asked, placing the flagon on the table. Her face now transformed to one of disappointment, _hmph_ -ing as she crossed her arms.

"I said I came over here to cheer you up, and that's what I'm trying to do. Not my fault you have a rock up your ass.", she said, looking at her hand as she uttered those words.

"Hopping on my dick is not going to cheer me up. Gonna have to try a lot harder than that, Mary."

She now scowled, rolling her eyes at how difficult this man was. Even though she had dealt with this type of attitude from him before, she was being genuine this time. She was a jokester sometimes - less than James, no doubt - but when she hid a layer of sincerity beneath her humor and people still rejected her, it irked her quite a bit.

"What's your problem, Judas? I came over here because you looked lonely and I wanted to fill a space for once out of all the times you come here, sit in a corner, and drink 'till you're buzzed. There's no reason you should be acting like an ass to me just because I wanted to be sociable." Now she was irked.

"Gee, I'm sorry, darling, but there's a reason I come here and sit by myself rather than around others, and whatever that reason is, I'm not about to tell you. You might as well leave."

A pause.

"No.", she responded curtly, once again crossing her arms.

"Mary, I'm not asking you.", Judas said in a threatening tone.

"And I'm not joking. I'm staying right here.", she said in the same tone.

They both glared at each other for a long while, agitation radiating from their souls. It was now a battle of will for Judas. She was inherently stubborn and Judas was getting quite thirsty for another drink. He was losing now. That intense stare of hers, the dry throat, the stubborn nature. He then sighed and pointed to a chair.

"Fine. But if you try to act giddy and annoying, I'll personally punt you out of this hall. Understand?", he said, pointing in her direction with the tankard.

"Yes, yes, I understand. Now, what's been troubling you that has you coming to the hall every night?", she asked, sitting in a chair beside him. Right beside him.

"Hold that thought. I need another drink." And with that, he stood up and crossed over to the barrels once more, the eyes of Mary digging into his back. Despite her nature towards such a rough man, she secretly harbored feelings for him. How could such a free spirit have romantic feelings for someone like Judas, especially given her flirtatious act towards him earlier? Even she didn't know. She wasn't one for relationships (despite her being a hopeless romantic) since she never thought too hard on it before, but after serving with this Sentinel, she suddenly found potential. Peter was too loud and bossy, James was a faggola, John was too saintly, and Bart, while cute, was just plain introverted and shy. Judas was rough and quiet, mysterious, and not to mention, a challenge. Mary liked challenges.

Plus, dat ass tho.

He returned holding two tankards now, both filled with drink. He lazily handed one to her, with her quickly catching it as he sat back down.

"Now, what were you asking?"

"I was asking why you come to the hall every night.", she said plainly. He raised a brow and took a swig.

"Do you honestly think I will tell you? I haven't told anyone and I'm not about to start with you."

"Jude, I may be a wild spirit, but I still have care for those that warrant my care. Whatever is troubling you, you need to let go of it. Holding on won't do you any favors." If it'll shut her up, then he'll tell her. She has no reason to tell others.

"Alright, alright. If I tell you, will you be quiet?" She nodded. "Okay. If you haven't guessed, I used to be a married man, and with child. Things happened, my wife left me and took my son and I haven't heard back. End of story." Hopefully that'll do it.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho, nope. That isn't the truth, I can tell when you're lying." Fuck. "Jude, I'm not going to tell anyone, alright? I know it's sensitive, you can trust me... you do trust me, don't you?"

He wasn't sure. After what happened to his wife and son, he wasn't too trusting of anyone anymore, not even his own war-kin. He hasn't put much thought into opening up to anyone. When you lose your family, you've pretty much lost a reason for living. It's been years, but it hasn't left him. Maybe he _should_ let it out to someone. One person wouldn't hurt, right?

"Yes. I trust you." He breathed in and let it out slowly. "Before we were Sentinels, we were regular Crusaders, right? Before I became a Sentinel, I married a girl named Morgan. She was-" A pause. "...she was beautiful. Hair as black as night, eyes as blue as the great sky overhead. And her smile... radiant as our own sun. I loved her. She came to every event I was placed in, and after I was inducted into the ranks of the Night Sentinels, she broke down in tears of joy. And that night, we made love. Warm, passionate love. And the next morning, we found out that... well, she was pregnant."

Mary was quietly listening in awe of his story, to which he now forgot she was there. He was speaking to no one now. Her hopeless romantic side came into play as she leaned on her hands, eyes wide and attentive, silently screaming in joy over the adorableness of how he described his wife and their love. Oh, how she wanted that...

"Many months later, she was entering the final days of labor and we were awaiting the due date. We walked along the outskirts of... of Novus, where I used to live. The Hellportal was still active then. The day was one we all remember. The fourteenth day of Starfall, year 378. The day the portal released a Flood that transformed many of our population into Possessed. The first mass assault on the outlying cities of the Ytrian Lowlands. Since I was a Sentinel, I had already taken my Flood inoculation. I was safe... but Morgan was not so fortunate." He had to pause at this time to regain himself.

"She was hit by it and went under. What's worse, it was at that moment she went into labor. I rushed her to the nearest cleric so the baby could be delivered. I remember it perfectly... she was laying in the cot, holding our son... Abel. I knew she wouldn't survive, but I just wanted to spend all the time in the world with her. She told me she loved me before she transformed and was... terminated."

Mary's eyes were wide with shock, and was on the verge of tears at this revelation. He lost someone he dedicated his entire life to, and in one of the worst ways possible. This had to be the end of it.

"I spent most of the passing years raising Abel, teaching him and such. And then came the day he told me he wished to be a Crusader. I was extremely proud of that sentiment, and was even more proud when I stood before him during the coronation ceremony and gave the oath of enlistment. It's gratifying to know you're swearing your child into a prestigious organization, and by the Wraiths, I was about to break down that day. And then came the day he came to our encampment and told me he had been commissioned as an Option."

She smiled now. It was quite adorable how he rambled on about his wife and his son, especially his son. She wondered where he was.

"He was stationed in Pax with the 12th Legion. I saw him every other week. Then came the day the demons attacked Pax, the only city near the Hellportal not to have energy wall defenses due to its distance from the Wraiths. With no wall defenses, the city quickly fell. And after hearing that all had been accounted for and there were no survivors... I realized my son... my boy... was included in that list."

An awkward, deathly silence overtook the both of them. Judas was blank as he took a few swigs of his tankard. Mary, in contrast, had her hands over her mouth as her eyes became glassy and tears welled up in them. So that's what happened to Abel. He was killed.

"So. If you ever wonder why I'm so quiet or distant, remember the story I told you about how my wife and child - my reasons for living - died." These words were cold, and were meant to be cold. Mary looked down away from him, processing the story she was just told.

"...Judas, I'm... I'm so sor-"

"I do not want nor need your pity. All I want is your understanding for my solitude." A few moments went by before she nodded.

An eternity soon went by, painted in the black color of tense silence. However, Mary soon stood, gave Judas her condolences and best wishes, and left. Judas was quite in awe of himself for having the gall to tell someone his story, and was wondering if it was a sound idea or not.

But these wonders were soon replaced by more memories and many more tankards full of beer, and remained this way for the rest of the lonely night.


End file.
